Takeout-Style Orange Chicken

5 from 3 votes

Make Takeout-Style Orange Chicken at home! Crispy, double-fried chicken tossed in a sweet, tangy, and sticky orange sauce that’s irresistible.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian, Chinese, Chinese-American

Servings: Adults

Calories: 801kcal

Author: Spencer Klickman

Equipment

Instant Read Digital Thermometer
6 or 7.5 quart Dutch Oven
Tongs Or frying spider
3 or 6 quart Saute Pan or 12 to 14-inch skillet

Ingredients

Chicken

2 Quarts (32 oz.) Neutral Oil for Frying I recommend peanut oil, but canola or vegetable oil will work.
2 lbs. Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs Cut into Bite-size Pieces, approx. 5 - 6 chicken thighs
1 ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
¼ teaspoon White Pepper
½ teaspoon Chinese Five Spice Powder
2 Large Eggs
1 Tablespoon Cold Water
½ Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Cornstarch

Orange Sauce

2 tablespoons Neutral Oil
4 Cloves Garlic Peeled and Minced
2- inch Knob Ginger Peeled and Grated
2 Large or 3 small Green Onions Thinly Sliced, White and green parts divided
¼ - ½ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes or 3 whole dried red chili peppers (I use dried Arbol chili peppers typically)
¼ teaspoon White Pepper
Zest and Juice of 2 Oranges About ½ cup
⅓ Cup Packed Light Brown Sugar
⅓ Cup Shaoxing Cooking Wine Substitute dry sherry if you can't find this
¼ teaspoon Sesame Oil
2 ½ tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar
2 ½ tablespoons Dark Soy Sauce
½ cup Cold Water
1 tablespoon Cornstarch

Serving

3 Cups Cooked White Rice
Sliced Green Onions From above
Sesame Seeds

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Fried Chicken Instructions

Heat frying oil to 350°F in a large wok or Dutch oven.
Dice the chicken and coat with kosher salt, white pepper, and the Chinese five spice powder. Beat the eggs and water together in a small bowl, add to the chicken, and toss to evenly coat. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and cornstarch. Pour about ½ cup of the cornstarch mixture over the chicken and evenly coat. Dredge the chicken pieces in the remaining cornstarch a second time, tossing to coat evenly and shaking the excess off.
Fry the chicken in batches for 4 to 5 minutes until lightly golden and crispy then remove from the heat. Heat the oil to 375°F and fry for an additional 4 to 5 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to the wire rack-lined baking sheet and season immediately with a generous amount of kosher salt to taste.

Orange Sauce

While the chicken is cooling, add the neutral oil to a large saucepan, sauté the garlic, ginger, and white parts of the green onions and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes or whole chili peppers (if using), white pepper, orange juice, orange zest, brown sugar, Shaoxing cooking wine, rice wine vinegar, and dark soy sauce. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.
While the sauce is simmering, combine the water and cornstarch to make a slurry. Add the cornstarch slurry and cook for an additional 2 minutes until thickened, and remove from the heat.

Assembly and Serving

Add all of the fried chicken to the sauce and toss to evenly coat. Add in the some of the green onion pieces, stirring to combine.
Serve the chicken over cooked white rice. Garnish with more sliced green onion and sesame seeds if desired, and enjoy.

Notes

Top Tip

Double-frying the chicken at 375°F is the key to ultra-crispy perfection. The first fry at 350°F cooks the chicken through, while the second fry at a higher temperature locks in the crunch and ensures the coating stays crisp even after being coated in the sticky orange sauce. Don’t skip this step if you want that restaurant-quality texture!

Storing

Store leftover orange chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Store any rice separately from the chicken, as the rice tends to absorb the sauce over time.

Reheating

Reheating is as simple as warming the chicken through and serving. I like to use the following methods:

- Oven: Bake at 375°F for 8 to 10 minutes.

- Air Fryer: Heat at 350°F for 5 to 7 minutes.

- Stovetop: Sauté on medium-low to medium heat with a splash of water to rehydrate the sauce until warmed up.

Nutrition